Light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been utilized since about the 1960s. However, for the first few decades of use, the relatively low light output and narrow range of colored illumination limited the LED utilization role to specialized applications (e.g., indicator lamps). As light output improved, LED utilization within other lighting systems, such as within LED “EXIT” signs and LED traffic signals, began to increase. Over the last several years, the white light output capacity of LEDs has more than tripled, thereby allowing the LED to become the lighting solution of choice for a wide range of lighting solutions.
Whether the particular lighting solution is applied in a commercial application (e.g., theatrical or horticultural) or simply applied in a residential setting, command and control of such lighting is becoming increasingly complex. For example, simple “on/off” commands with conventional LED lighting are no longer sufficient. Rather, variations in lighting intensity between “on” and “off” are more the norm where multiple intensity levels between 0% and 100% may be selected. Further, color temperature of the generated light may be further desirable and, therefore, selectable.
Conventional command and control consoles for LED lighting typically require an alternating current (AC) power supply and further require a computing station tethered to the command and control console. As a result, conventional command and control consoles are non-mobile and have rigid connectivity requirements for operation, which may render them useful for one particular application, but useless for any number of other applications.
Efforts continue, therefore, to develop a command and control device for an LED lighting system that may be utilized in any number of applications without the need to be tethered to any particular power and/or connectivity arrangement.